sthompson23@Nul.org
Speaker Bio
Rep. Senfronia Thompson's legacy is one built from a strong principle of faith, an unwavering defense of freedom, and a staunch belief in fairness. She exemplifies the American ideal that one person can make a difference.
Texas native Senfronia Thompson was born in Booth, Texas and raised in Houston. She represents District 141, which includes Northeast Houston and Humble.
Rep. Thompson has the distinct honor of being the longest-serving woman and African-American in Texas history. She is Dean of the Texas House of Representatives and is currently serving her 50th year in the Texas Legislature.
She received her high school diploma from Booker T. Washington High School in Houston. She has a Bachelor of Science in Biology from Texas Southern University; a Master of Education from Prairie View A&M University; a JD degree from Thurgood Marshall School of Law and a Master of Law in International Law from the University of Houston.
Rep. Thompson is a proud member of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority.
A Houston attorney and award-winning legislator, Rep. Thompson, affectionately known by her colleagues as "Ms. T", was inducted into the Texas Women's Hall of Fame on May 6, 2014.
Rep. Thompson currently chairs the Texas House Select Committee on Youth Health & Safety. She is a member of the House Committee on Licensing & Administrative Procedures, the House Committee on Redistricting and the House Committee on State Affairs.
Throughout her illustrious career, Rep. Thompson has proven her commitment to those less fortunate with her tireless fight for justice, equality and opportunity for all. Rep. Thompson has led the fight against human trafficking long before people even recognized what human trafficking was and how these traumatic experiences damage people's lives. She has put Texas first in having some of the best anti-human trafficking laws compared to other states.
She worked passionately for the passage of Texas' Equal Pay Act in both the house and senate. Although the bill was vetoed, Rep. Thompson remains committed to ensuring Texans receive equal pay for equal work.
Rep. Thompson is the author of the James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Act; the Sexual Assault Program Fund; the Model School Records Flagging Act to assist in the location of abducted children; the state's current minimum wage law; Texas' first and only alimony law; laws creating drug courts; laws providing insurance coverage for anti-cancer oral medication, 3D mammograms; HPV & cervical cancer screening tests and contraceptives, like the IUD and diaphragms. She has also passed laws protecting unpaid interns from sexual harassment; allow Medicaid nursing home residents to keep more of their retirement or social security money for their personal use; allow homeowners over the age of 65 to make quarterly property tax payments without penalty; law allowing parents to request a camera in the classroom of special need students, and scores of other reforms benefitting women, children and the elderly.
She sponsored laws banning racial profiling, secured state funding to install video cameras and audio equipment in every police car to be used at all stops; ended "debtor's prison" to prevent people from ending in a cycle of debt, jail time and license suspension simply because they can not afford to pay their traffic tickets or other fine-only offenses.
She also authored the Chief Justice Jack Pope Act which increases funding for legal aid to help low-income Texans with their civil cases and the Michael Morton Act, to create a fairer criminal justice system in Texas.
She has passed legislation aimed at protecting women and children against domestic violence, extending protective orders to last longer and enforceable within the entire state of Texas, increasing the penalty of sex offenders, giving rape victims a voice in the processing of their rape kits and fought to end sexual discrimination in the work place.
Her commitment to social, economic and criminal justice reform has earned her the respect and admiration of many people from Texas and beyond. She is a true Texas Treasure and has become one of the best symbols of all that is possible.
Rep. Thompson is the only recipient of the Rosa Parks Award from the Texas Legislative Black Caucus, and has been named one of Texas Monthly's Top Ten Best Legislators.